Monday, July 20, 2009

Stevie Wonder : As

SONG As

WRITTEN BY Stevie Wonder

PERFORMED BY Stevie Wonder

APPEARS ON Songs In The Key Of Life (1976)

Stevie Wonder was born Steven HardawayJudkins on May 13, 1950. He was signed to Motown Records at the age off 11 and had his first hit single Fingertips (Pt.2) at the age of 13. Despite the fact he lost his sight as an infant, he is considered by most to be a musical genius. During the mid 1970's Stevie released several albums that are considered classics. Perhaps the best and most groundbreaking of those releases is Songs in the Key of Life. It was released in 1976 and spent 14 weeks on the Billboard charts as the number one album. In American music as a whole this album is considered among the best ever made. In R&B music it is arguably a top five album of all time. There are a few songs from this album I want to write about but I will start with what I feel is the best and most underrated. Writing about this song was a special request. It’s a wonderful tune about everlasting love titled “As”. I always thought the name of this song was I’ll be Loving You Always until I scored an original copy of the album and couldn’t find that title on any of the four sides.

“As” is not a typical slow and sappy love song that is prominent in R&B music. I don’t want to make it seem like I don’t listen to my fair share of sappy love songs but this song is much deeper than that. It is about the genuine and undying love from one person to another. I did a blog post once about the songs that represent my life and listed this song as the song I would use to tell someone I love them. The song speaks to the kind of love that can sustain you throughout your life. Everyone should have someone like that in their life. It can be a spouse, parent, or a child. It can be your sibling, cousin, or just a damn good friend. It can even be a dog or a cat. It can be about that one person in your life no matter who they are that fills the need of knowing someone loves you and you love them back. The other day my friend told me she was in the store with her teenage sister. She fell in love with a pair of shoes and her sister decided to buy them for her. Her words were “as long as I have money, you have money.” It's like all the years growing up watching your dad wear those raggedy clothes knowing he wanted to look good but he couldn't because he didn't have a lot of money and he wanted his kids to look right. That’s the kind of love Stevie Wonder is singing about.

Anyone who reads the post I make will soon realize that I am heavy into lyrics. I have to give equal attention to the words of the song no matter what the subject matter of the song or the tempo. I think Stevie Wonder intended for this song to be inspirational and uplifting. The tempo is fast enough to dance to. It’s meant to celebrate the presence of that person. I think that’s the way it should be. When I think of the people in my life who I love I want to feel good about it. The words themselves are plainspoken but constructed to allow anyone of significance to come into the listeners mind. There is no mention of male or female. The only reference is “you”. Towards the end of the song the direction of the lyrics shifts to metaphors that describe how the love he has will last by basically saying “I’ll be loving you until….a bunch of things that will never happen.” For example:

“Ill be loving youUntil the rainbow burns the stars out in the skyLoving youUntil the ocean covers every mountain high”

The only disclaimer I can give about this song is that if you ever go to a Stevie Wonder concert please be prepared because the night I saw him at the Essence Music Festival he performed this song for about 20 minutes. I don’t know about you but that’s a lot of love to handle. Other than that minor tidbit, please enjoy the selection.

Lyrics:As around the sun the earth knows shes revolvingAnd the rosebuds know to bloom in early mayJust as hate knows loves the cureYou can rest your mind assureThat Ill be loving you always

As now cant reveal the mistery of tomorrowBut in passing will grow older every dayJust as all is born is newDo you know what I say is trueThat Ill be loving you always

Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the skyAlwaysUntil the ocean covers every mountain highAlwaysUntil the dolphin flies and parrots live at seaAlwaysUntil we dream of life and life becomes a dream

Did you know that true love asks for nothingHer acceptance is the way we payDid you know that life has given love a guaranteeTo last through forever and another day

Just as time knew to move on since the beginningAnd the seasons know exactly when to changeJust as kindness knows no shameKnow through all your joy and painThat Ill be loving you always

As today I know Im living but tomorrowCould make me the past but that I mustnt fearFor Ill know deep in my mindThe love of me Ive left behindCause Ill be loving you always

Until the day is night and night becomes the dayAlwaysUntil the trees and sea just up and fly awayAlwaysUntil the day that 8x8x8 is 4AlwaysUntil the day that is the day that are no moreDid you know youre loved by somebody?Until the day the earth starts turning right to leftAlwaysUntil the earth just for the sun denies itselfIll loving you foreverUntil dear mother nature says her work is throughAlwaysUntil the day that you are me and I am youAl~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky~~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~Until the ocean covers every mountain high~~~aa~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~ys

We all know sometimes lifes hates and troublesCan make you wish you were born in another time and spaceBut you can bet your life times that and twice its doubleThat God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placedSo make sure when you say youre in it but not of itYoure not helping to make this earth a place sometimes called hellChange your words into truths and then change that truth into loveAnd maybe our childrens grandchildrenAnd their great-great grandchildren will tell

Ill be loving youUntil the rainbow burns the stars out in the skyLoving youUntil the ocean covers every mountain highLoving youUntil the dolphin flies and parrots live at seaLoving youUntil we dream of life and life becomes a dreamBe loving youUntil the day is night and night becomes the dayLoving youUntil the trees and seas up, up and fly awayLoving youUntil the day that 8x8x8x8 is 4Loving youUntil the day that is the day that are no moreLoving youUntil the day the earth starts turning right to leftBe loving youUntil the earth just for the sun denies itselfLoving youUntil dear mother nature says her work is throughLoving youUntil the day that you are me and I am youNow aint that loving youUntil the rainbow burns the stars out in the skyAint that loving youUntil the ocean covers every mountain highAnd Ive got to say alwaysUntil the dolphin flies and parrots live at seaAl~~~~~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~~~~aysUntil we dream of life and life becomes a dreamUm al~~~~~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~~~~aysUntil the day is night and night becomes the dayAl~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~aysUntil the trees and sea just up and fly awayAl~~~~~wa~~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Until the day that 8x8x8 is 4~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~~~~aaUntil the day that is the day that are no moreAa~~~~~~~~~~~~aa~~~~aa~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~aysUntil the day the earth starts turning right to leftAl~~~~~~~~wa~~~~~~a~~~~~~~~~~~~aaUntil the earth just for the sun denies itself~~~~~~aa~~~~~~~~aa~~~~~~aa~~~~~~aysUntil dear mother nature says her work is throughAl~~~~waysUntil the day that you are me and I am you

Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the skyUntil the ocean covers every mountain highUntil the dolphin flies and parrots live at seaUntil we dream of life and life becomes a dreamUntil the day is night and night becomes the dayUntil the trees and sea just up and fly awayUntil the day that 8x8x8 is 4Until the day that is the day that are no moreUntil the day the earth starts turning right to leftUntil the earth just for the sun denies itselfUntil dear mother nature says her work is throughUntil the day that you are me and I am you

This is my favorite Stevie song, and perhaps my favorite song period. But I always understood it not as a love song to a person, but as a love song to humanity. The "we all know sometimes life's hates and troubles..." part seems to me to point in that direction. If one thinks of it as a love song to a person, then how does the "life's hates and troubles" part make sense?

I believed it was God's message to us. I got this album for Christmas when it came out and thought it was a love song. Then I read that it was demonstrating the love the Lord has for his children. I never loved like this until I had children. Also, he is talking about the world's turmoil at the time. We had just come out of Viet Nam, the Civil Rights movement, lots of reasons to think about the real meaning of life.

But if it is a love song, I love it just as much. It is my favorite song ever.

About Just A Song

After a hiatus, I want to revive Just A Song. My move east has exposed me to all kinds of new (to me) talent who have inspired me to take pen in hand. As always, all entries will include the name of the artist and song, the albums it appears on, miscellaneous notes, the lyrics, and an audio and/or video of the song. Some entries will also feature annotations and/or a brief essay about the song. I'll also include links to official web sites and reviews.